Card-file.



No. 779,102. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. L. SENGB.

CARD FILE.

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Patented January 3, 1905.

Nrran STATES ATENT rrice.

LIBORIUS SENGE, OF CRESCENT SPRINGS, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TOGLOBF-WERNIGKE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CARD-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,102, dated January3, 1905.

Application filed May 16, 1903. Serial No. 7,393. i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LIBORIUS Snnen, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Crescent Springs, in the county of Kenton and State of 5Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCard-Files, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

My invention relates to files for index or other cards for use inlibraries, ofiices, and other places where cards are used for purposesof indexing accounts for reference; and it has for its object theimproved construction of such files whereby their ease of manipulation,security, and eificiency are increased.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth,and specifically pointed out in the claims. In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a central sectional side elevation of acard-file embodying my invention. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a plan View of thesame. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an inside elevation of the operating parts ofthe file on the dotted line a: m of Fig. 5 looking to the left and withthe inside plate removed. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a corresponding view withFig. 3, but showing the parts in proper positions when the cardretaining and releasing bars are spread apart to lock the cards, whileFig. 3 shows the parts in proper position when the cards are released.Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a broken sectional side elevation of Fig. 3 andincluding the adjacent and associated parts. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is aperspective view of the ends of the card releasing and retaining barsadjacent to the operating mechanism. Fig. 7, Sheet 2, is a correspondingview of the opposite ends of the bars. Fig. 8, Sheet 2, is a brokenelevation of the bottom of one of the cards, showing its slot foropening for the passage and spreading of the bars and showing the barsin section and spread apart.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts inall the figures.

In its preferred form of construction the file is a drawer, of which aseries is usually employed and contained in a suitable case for acabinet. The drawer may have an interior width just sufficient tocontain a single row of cards which stand on edge transversely of thedrawer, or it may be wide enough to have two or more card-compartmentsside by side andextending from the front to the rear of the drawer. Ihave only illustrated a drawer with a single card-compartment; but itwill be readily understood that this may be duplicated or pluralizedinto a drawer with any number of compartments desired, the mechanism ineach compartment being identical with that illustrated and to be nowdescribed.

In the drawings, A represents the bottom of the drawer, 13' its sidewalls, Cits front wall, and D its rear wall. There is a slot E throughthe bottom of the drawer atits middle extending its entire length.

Secured upon the inner side of the front Wall of the drawer, in thisinstance by two screws 0, and near its bottom is a struck-up metalhousing F, constructed'after the manner of an ordinary drawer-lock case,and guided within this housing, by means of the walls thereof and aninner plate 6, Fig. 5, secured to the inner side of the front wall C, isa vertically-slidable piece Gr, having an upper cut-out portion 0, Figs.3 and 4, in which is confined a crank cam-piece cl, fast upon a stem orshank 6, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, suitably journaled through the frontwall C and carrying an operating-buttonf, which also serves as thedrawer-pull. Below the opening 0 in the plate G is a second opening 9,which is of a peculiar shape and somewhat similar to three ovalsconnected together, as will be clearly shown by reference to Figs. 3 and4.

The card retaining and releasing bars H, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, areflat metal bars arranged parallel to each other and to the bottom of thedrawer. As seen in Fig. 6, these barsH are provided with elongatedtrunnions, which are bent at right angles to their axes and form crankswithin the housing F and confined within the opening 9 in the plate G.The rear ends of these bars H are provided with trunnions, which havetheir bearing in a plate I, secured in any suitable manner to I the rearwall D of the drawer.

The operation of my device is as follows: Assuming the parts to be inthe positions shown in Fig. 3, where the card retaining and releasingbars are shown in dotted lines to be in such position that the cards maybe removed therefrom or new cards inserted thereon by turning theoperating-button f, the crank-cam d is rotated within the opening 0 inthe plate G, which forces said plate downward within the housing F, andthe downwardly-extending portions h of the opening g bearing against thecranks formed by the bent ends of the trunnions on the forward ends ofthe bars H revolve these bars upon their axes and spread the same to theposition shown in section in Fig. 8, the parts then having assumed thepositions shown in Fig. L. By revolving the cam d in the oppositedirection the plate G will be raised within the housing and theupwardly-projecting portions 11 of the opening 9 in the lower part ofthe plate G will bear against the cranks upon the trunnions of the barsH and restore the same to the positions shown in Fig. 3, as will bereadily understood.

J is the usual or any suitable follower slidable within the drawer andguided upon a rod K, located directly beneath the bars H and supportedin the housing F at the front end of the drawer and the plate I at therear end thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a card-file, thecombination of the filing-base, a pair of flat card retaining andreleasing bars parallel therewith, front and rear pivots in stationarybearings for the lower edges of said bars, operating projections formingpart of said bars and extending outwardly from the front pivots atangles to the planes of the fiat portions of said bars, a guided slidingplate with slots engaging the angular operating projections on the endsof the bars, and means for operating said sliding plate, whereby thebars are brought together or spread apart, substantially as described.

2. In a card-file, the'cornbination of the filing-base, a pair of flatcard retaining and releasing bars parallel therewith, front pivots forsaid bars having angular outward extensions forming operating-cranks,said angular extensions extending outwardly at angles to the planes ofsaid flat bars, rear pivots in stationary bearings for said bars, aguided sliding plate with slots engaging said operatingcranks, arotatable cam confined within an opening in said plate for operating thesame, and a thumb-piece on the outside of the drawer connected to andfor operating said cam, Sub stantially as described.

3. In a card-file, the combination of the bars H pivoted at their loweredges at the rear of the drawer, and provided at their forward ends withpivoting trunnions having a bear ing at the front wall of the drawer, ahousing F secured to the inner side of the front wall of the drawer, andprovided with an opening for the passage of the trunnions on the frontends of the bars H, a plate G guided within said housing and providedwith opening 9, outwardly-extending cranks formed on the trunnions onthe front ends of bars H oonfined in the opening 9, an opening 0 in saidplate Ur, a crank-cam (Z confined within said opening 0, and anoperating-button f connected by means ofstem a to and for the pur poseof operating said cam-piece d, substantially as described.

LIBORIUS SENGE.

Witnesses:

WM. J. PECK, EDWARD PEcK.

